Underground storage tank check valve arrangement



July 7, 1959 J. H. SENEY 2,893,423

UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK CHECK VALVE ARRANGEMENT Filed March 23, 1956 rN MENTOR JOHN H. SENEY amma 2W4 Uni e State, Pam Qfi e 2,893,423 1 Patented July & 7, 1959 This invention relates to improvements in check valves =-for underground storage tanks. The present valve is particularly designed for use in'the g pipe or line extending from agasoline storage tank to a dispensing pump} but it may be used for other purposes as well; This device actsflas a check valve so that gasoline in the line will'not run back into the tank when the pump ceases to operate. p

Quite frequently water gets into the suction lllle'bfltween the -tank and pump, and it is necessary to get the water-out before it is safe to use gasoline from the pump.

In the past this has beendone by pumping 200 or 300:

gallonsof gasolinethrough-the line and back into the tank in order to -be sure-that the pump andline were clear. The water separates from thegasoline in the The main object of the present invention is the provision of a valve arrangement which may conveniently be operated fromithe-ground' surface to drain thepump suction line back intothe tank so that water may be cleared from the line in a matter of seconds.

Ariotherobject is the provision of a valvearrangement of the nature-described-of -very simple and inexpensive construction.

v Another object is-the provisionof a valve lwhich', although it is located 'below" the surface of the ground near the'butle't of a-fuel tank in the "customary manner; may

be quickly and easily changed if it is necessary to repair or change the valve.

Yet another object is the provision of a storage tank check valve which may be removed without any special tool or wrench.

The underground storage tank check valve according to this invenntion includes a tubular casing having an inlet port at its lower end to be connected to the outlet of a tank located underground, said casing being long enough to extend to the ground surface, and outlet port in the casing near and spaced above the inlet port thereof to be connected to a suction line extending to a pump for drawing liquid from the tank, a valve seat at the inlet port, a valve normally resting on said seat and movable off it inwardly of the casing, a stem connected to the valve extending upwardly to the top of the casing, a cover removably mounted on the upper end of the casing, a sleeve projecting downwardly from the cover centrally of the casing, said valve stem extending into and being slidable within the sleeve, on to the seat after it has been lifted therefrom.

Examples of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates an underground tank connected by a suction line to a dispensing pump, and illustrating the present storage tank check valve associated with these elements,

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section through'one form of storage tank valve,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

and means for guiding the valve back Figure 4 is a sectiontaken on the line 4'-4 of Fig- Figure 5 is a section taken on the line-S-S of =Fig- *ure 2,- and Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical-section taken through E an alternative form of valve.

Referring to Figure l of the drawings, 10 is a tank for storing gasoline or other liquid. This tank is located *below the surface 11 of the ground. The'tank has a filler tube13 which may extend above the ground surface or,

T as shown, it may extend up into a well-14 located just below the surface and having a coverlS. A breather pipe 17 extends from the top' of the tank above the ground surface. An outlet pipe 19" extends upwardly from-the tank and is connected to the lower end of a tank valve "arrangement 21-embodying the present invention. A suction pipe '23 extends from the valve arrangement to a clispensing pump 24 above the ground surface.

' but near its inlet 29. The outlet 25 Figures 2 to 5 illustrate the tank valve arrangement 21. This arrangement includes avertical tubular casing' 28 having an inlet port 29 at its lower end, said inlet port being connected to the tank outlet pipe 19.' The casing also has an'outlet port 32 in the side thereof spaced'above port is connected to the pump suction line'23.

Casing=28 may extend above'the ground surface 11,

-:-'but it is preferable to have itextend into a well'34 just beloW the ground surface, said well'having a cover'35 at ---the surface. The uppere'n'd of the casing is provided with a cover or 'cap 37 removably'mounted thereon. In this example, the cap is internally threaded and the upper end '-of-the-casing isexternally threaded, as indicated at' GS.

" Suita-bleguide'means, such as a sleeve'4ti, is'connected at its-upper end to the cover and extends downwardly some distance into the casing centrally 'there'of.

A valve seat 44 is provided'in 'casing28 just above" its inlet 29 so that all liquid entering theca'sing through 'the i'nlet' must pass through the seat.

formedof any suitable material, and rests upon the seat. In-the preferred form of'the inven- A valvepoppet 46 preferably neoprene,

= tion t-thevalve has:anannulargroove 47 in its'lo'wer' surface into which the seat removably fits. However, the bottom of the valve may be flat without any groove in it.

Suitable means is provided for guiding the valve 46 on to and off the seat 44. This may be done by means of a guide pin 50 extending downwardly from the valve cen trally thereof. This pin slidably extends through a hole in a spider 51 carried by the casing at its inlet, and the lower end of the pin is preferably pointed as at 52.

A long stem 55 is connected to the valve 46 and extends upwardly through casing 28 into sleeve 40. This stem is slidable in the sleeve, and terminates below the upper end thereof, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The pin 50 and stem 55 are connected to the valve in any convenient manner. In this example, the pin extends through the valve and above the top thereof. This pin has a shoulder 57 fixed thereto below the valve, and a nut 58 threaded on the pin may be turned to press the valve against the shoulder. Stem 55 fits down into a socket 59 in the upper end of the pin, to which it is attached in any convenient manner, such as by means of a cotter pin 60.

When the valve arrangement 21 is in operation, as illustrated in Figure 1, pump 24 normally sucks gasoline from tank 10 through pipe 19, inlet port 29, valve seat 44, outlet port 32 and suction pipe 23. While the pump is in operation, valve 46 is lifted off its seat, but the instant the pump stops sucking, the valve returns to its seat to which it is guided by pin 50 slidably extending through spider 51. If water is found trapped in the suction pipe, it is a simple matter to remove it. The cover 37 is removed from casing 28, exposing the upper end of stem 55. This may be grasped to lift the valve oflt its seat in order to drain pipe 23, thereby allowing the water to run back into the tank. At this time it is not necessary to lift the valve sufficiently to withdraw pin 50 from the spider, but even if it is withdrawn there is absolutely no difficulty in reseating the valve. When the cover 37 is replaced, sleeve 40 acts as a guide for the stem to keep the valve properly aligned with its seat. Although the valve is located some distance below the surface of the ground, it is a very simple matter to replace or repair it should this prove necessary. Here again, cover 37 is removed, and the valve is drawn up through casing 28 by means of the stem. When the repaired or replaced valve is returned to the device, the tapered end 52 of the pin 50 passes through the valve seat and into the hole in the spider to direct the valve back to the seat,

Figure 6 illustrates a slight variation in the invention. A different form of valve is mounted on pin 50a. A valve 65 formed of neoprene or other suitable material is placed on the pin and secured against shoulder 57a by nut 58a. This valve has a spherical bottom 66 which fits into a correspondingly-dished portion 67 formed in valve seat 44a. This valve will seat properly even if pin 50a and stem 55a are not exactly perpendicular to the seat.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A check valve arrangement for underground storage tanks comprising a tubular casing having an inlet port at its lower end connected when the valve arrangement is in use to the outlet of a tank located underground, said casing being long enough to extend to the ground surface, an outlet port in the casing near and spaced from the inlet port thereof to be connected to a suction line of a pump for drawing liquid from the tank, a valve seat integrally connected to the casing at the inlet port thereof through which liquid must travel to the outlet port, a valve having a resilient surface normally resting on said seat and movable off it inwardly of the casing, a stem connected to the valve and extending upwardly to the top of the casing, a cover removably mounted on the upper end of the casing, a sleeve fixed to and projecting downwardly below the cover centrally of the casing and being open at its lower end, said valve stem extending into and being freely slidable within the sleeve and coming out of the latter when the cover is lifted oil the casing, said chamber being exposed at the top of the casing when the cover is removed so that the valve may be lifted out by means of said stem, and means for guiding the valve back on to the seat after it has been lifted therefrom.

2. A check valve arrangement for underground storage tanks comprising a tubular casing having an inlet port at its lower end connected when the valve arrangement is in use to the outlet of a tank located underground, said casing being long enough to extend to the ground surface, an outlet port in the casing near and spaced from the inlet port thereof to be connected to a suction line of a pump for drawing liquid from the tank, a valve seat at the inlet port through which liquid must travel to the outlet port, a valve normally resting on said seat and movable off it inwardly of the casing, a stem connected to the valve and extending upwardly to the top of the casing, a cover removably mounted on the upper end of the casing, a sleeve fixed to and projecting downwardly below the cover centrally of the casing and being open at its lower end, said valve stem extending into and being freely slidable within the sleeve and coming out of the latter when the cover is lifted off the casing, said stem being exposed at the top of the casing when the cover is removed so that the valve may be lifted out by means of said stem, a pin projecting downwardly from the valve through the valve seat, and guide means beneath said seat slidably engaging the pin when the valve is near the seat.

3. A check valve arrangement as claimed in claim 2 including a chamber below the seat which is larger across than the latter, and in which the guide means beneath the seat is a spider in said chamber carried by the casing and having a hole therein through which the pin slidably extends.

4. A check valve arrangement as claimed in claim 3 in which the lower end of the pin is pointed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,036,513 Nichol Aug, 20, 1912 1,225,892 Troy May 15, 1917 1,495,858 McGinnis May 27, 1924 1,744,186 Wakefield Ian. 21, 1930 1,925,201 Pike Sept. 5, 1933 2,569,471 Harding Oct. 2, 1951 

